Forceps



No. 6|7,587. Patented 1an. I0, |899.

E. G. LINK.

FORCEPS.

(Application filed June 1S, 1898.)

(No Model.)

VVitnessc-zs.

65M 757m M.

A Attorneys *me Nonms FE1-zus e0. Pham-Uma. wAsmNcroN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD e. LINK, on ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FO RCEPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.7617,587, dated January 10, 1899. Application led Iune'lS, 1898. Serial No. 683,852- (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. LINK, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Forceps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

vto these ends the invention consists in the improvements hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective View of a pair of lower-molar dental forceps containing my invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of the jaws and the pivotal connection between them; Fig. 3, a view of the other side from that shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a sectional view on the line .fr of Fig. 2, andFig. 5 a side view of the forward portion of the forceps.

Similar reference-numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

One of the features of my invention being applicable to lower-molar dental forceps or those having jaws at an angle to the pivot,-I have shown as an embodiment of my invention such an instrument composed as usual of a maleand female member pivoted together by a pivot l, the latter having the handle extension 2 and the downwardly-curved jaw 3 at the end opposite the pivot, the male member, embodying the handle portion 4, having the usual hook at'the rear end and the for- Ward end being provided with a curved jaw 6, coperating with the jaw 3 on the female member. The female member is provided with the central recess, through which the reduced portion 7 of the male member passes, and the portion just in rear of the pivot is provided with the extensions or Wings 8 and 9 on the upper and lower sides, respectively. The rear portions of both said extensions are curved on the arc of a circle of which the pivot is the center and arranged to make a close joint with the shoulders l0 on the male member, which latter are also correspondingly curved on their inner edges, so that the handle portions of both the members are substantially iiush where they come together, and by reason of the close fitting between the parts there are no open joints into which the operators thumb or ngers can project and be pinched even should the instrument slip from the tooth or the tooth break while endeavoring to extract it.

In instruments of this class, and particularly those in which the jaws are curved in a plane at an angle to that of the handle, it is necessary oftentimes that considerable force be exercised in pressing the jaws of the instrument down into the patients gum to grasp` thetooth below the crown, and in order to facilitate this operation and prevent slipping I provide upon the upperside of one of the members of the forceps (in the present embodiment the female member) a curved rib or shoulder 1l, constituting a thumb grip or rest, preferably slightly recessedand cor- Irugated on its upper side to prevent slipping,

and in such position that as the instrument is grasped by the right hand of the operator the -rest' thus formed will be in proper position to be engaged by his thumb, whereby he may press the jaws firmly down on either side of the tooth and close them tightly without liability of having his thumb pinched, and may more readily manipulate the hooked handle e to open and close the jaws. This thumbgrip is particularly desirable when using nickelplated instruments in warm weather, as the operators hands when damp with perspiration are quite liable to slip on the polished surface 0f forceps not provided with my improvements and there is great danger of injury, accidents of this nature not being at all infrequent.

It is eminently desirable that the shoulder or thumb-rest be formed between the pivot and handle and upon the handle side of the IOO pivot, as shown, as it enables the operator to push the instrument downwardly or longitudinally of the jaws without liability of slipping, and the protection afforded to prevent his thumb being caught between the moving parts of the members is accomplished by curving the extension, as shown. y

The cost of forming forceps of this description is but a trifle more than of the ordinary forceps, and the advantages are such as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim as my inventionl. In forceps, the combination of the male and female members pivoted together, each having the jaw and handle, said male member having the reduced portion 7 and the shoulders l0, and the female melnber having the transverse aperture and the shoulders or wings S and 0 curved on the are of a circle of which the pivot is the center, and making a close joint with the shoulders l0 on the male member, substantially as described.

2. In forceps, the combination of the members pivoted together and each having the jaw and handle, one of said members having the thumb rest or grip on the handle side of the pivot.

3. In a dental forceps, the combination of the pivoted members, each having the laterally-extending curved jaw at one end, and the handle at the other, one of said jaws having a thumb-grip on the side opposite to that from which the jaws extend.

1i. ln dental forceps, the combination of the male and female members pivoted ltogether, each having the curved jaw and the handle, said female member having the extensions on opposite sides curved concentrically with the pivot, and the thumb-grip on the side opposite the jaw, and the male member having the curved shoulders ccperatin g with the extensions.

EDWARD G. LINK. lVitnesses:

F. F. CHURCH, G. W, RICH. 

